Improvement in gun-locks



THOMAS JAMES MASSIE, OF ARRINGTON, VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GUN-LOCKS*l Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,388, dated October 31, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs J AMns MAssrE, of Arrington, in the county of Nelson and State of Virginia, have invented an Improved Attachment to a Gun-Lock, of which the following is a speciti cation:

The nature of my improvement consists of an attachment to the lock so that, by the simple an d single pressure on a lever, the hammer is raised suiiiciently clear of the nipple, and is there held fast and secure from all possibility of' release, and at the same time acts as a guard against the cap being exploded from any cause until the hammer is further raised to a full-cock, or nearly so, at which point of elevation the safety-lever is instantly released and the functions of the hammer left as free to act as if there were no attachment applied.

Figure l represents a plan or top view of a double-barreled gun, showing my attachment, as A A. Fig. 2is a side view, with a portion of the lock-plate broken away to show the operative devices of the safety-lever. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the lever-arm, catch, and connectingplate. Figs. 4L and 5 represent the right-angled lever for operating the catch to release the guardlever.

A bent or T-lever, B, Fig. 2, is run parallel with the break-off, with the fulcrum C, Figs. 2 and 3, near the front end, with a short arm, E, curved and under the hammer, at an angle sufficiently high that when the long or rear arm B of the lever is pressed down it raises the hammer G the desired height from the nipple, and is held in place by a vertical spring, H, attached-to the small plate of iron I, under the stock, covered by the lock-plates K K, the said spring having a hook, b, which catches into a yoke, c, attached to the lever. There the lever Bis made fast, and from Whatever cause-Whether a blow upon the hammer, a fall of the gun, or the pulling hack of the hammer by a brush or other cause, or from careless handling-will not strike the cap. To disengage the catch and free the hammer for use it is only necessary to cock the hammer, in doing which the main-spring or' the lock presses upon a secret right-angled lever, c, fastened toa plate screwed into the stock, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 5 by the main-spring of the lock pressing down upon it, on pulling back the cock presses against the secret vertical spring H, thereby releasing the safety-lever, when it is thrown upward by the action of another spring in the back end ot'l said safety-lever, and its front end, E, admits of the required movement of the hammer. rlhe height at which the hammer needs to be raised in order to free the catch can be varied at pleasure by enlarging or reducing the thickness oi' the vertical arm of the right-angled lever, or in any other suitable manner. If desired, another catch or notch can be put in the tumbler of the lock to hold the dog at a corresponding elevation, upon the principle ofthe army musket.

I claim-- l. The bent or T-lever E, in combination with hammer G, for the purposes hereinbefore set forth, so that, by one single motion or pressure upon the rear end B ot' the lever, the hammer is raised and secured so as to avoid all practical danger from a premature discharge of the gun.

2. rI he spring, in combination with the rear end of the lever B, whereby the said lever is thrown upward and held in such position while the gun is at full-cock, to serve as a guard against careless handling of the gun, as herein described.

THOMASV JAMES MASSIE.

Witnesses: Y

J oHN H. MGGUE,

DAN. H. McGnn. (55) which secret lever c being borne upon 

